Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Easy

PT130 S4 Q17 Explanation

Critic: Works of modern literature

A free, expert breakdown of this official LSAT Logical Reasoning question.

TopicsNecessary Assumption

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Stimulus

Critic: Works of modern literature cannot be tragedies as those of ancient playwrights and storytellers were unless their protagonists are seen as possessing nobility, which endures through the calamities that befall one. In an age that no longer takes seriously the belief that human endeavors are a contemporary work of literature to be a tragedy.

What this question is testing

Necessary Assumption

Your task

Find the assumption the argument requires in order for its conclusion to hold.

Common trap

Answers that would help the argument but aren't strictly required (sufficient, not necessary).

Winning move

Negate each choice — the right one breaks the argument when negated.

Reading along? Open the full official question in LawHub — we show a fragment here and keep the reasoning in our own words.

The question
17.

Which one of the following is an assumption required by the

Answer choices

  1. Out of Scope2% picked this

    Whether or not a work of literature is a tragedy should not depend on characteristics

    Characteristics of a work’s audience are not relevant to the argument.

  2. Out of Scope3% picked this

    The belief that human endeavors are governed by fate

    The fact of the matter is not relevant. What is relevant is whether people perceive those endeavors as governed by fate.

  3. Too Strong0% picked this

    Most plays that were once classified as tragedies

    The argument is about contemporary tragedies, while this is about works classified as tragedies more generally.

  4. Correct86% picked this

    Those whose endeavors are not regarded as governed by fate will not be seen

    Why this is right

    This bridges the gap ~GF → ~PN between not seen as governed by fate and not seen as possessing nobility.

    Skill tested: Necessary Assumption · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

  5. Unsupported8% picked this

    If an ignoble character in a work of literature endures through a series of misfortunes, that work of

    This would only cause a problem for the argument if the ignoble character were a protagonist.

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